


Owl Post Again.  And Again, And Again...

by tinyporcelainehorses



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Academia, Canon Compliant, Epistolary, Gen, Humor, Letters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-02-08 04:28:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21470062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinyporcelainehorses/pseuds/tinyporcelainehorses
Summary: Anyone who's had anything to do with an educational institution will have received (if not read) plenty of highly official, overly workshopped correspondence about (insert school here), their place in the world, and why Your Donations Are More Important At This Time Than Ever Before.  And why should Hogwarts be any different?Eight letters, from throughout Harry's career at Hogwarts and the year after, from senior figures within Hogwarts attempt to portray events there with the best spin possible.  Trigger warning for academic bureaucracy.
Relationships: Cornelius Fudge & Albus Dumbledore, Dolores Umbridge & Albus Dumbledore
Comments: 17
Kudos: 26





	1. 1991

28/8/1991

Dear parents, alumni, and friends of Hogwarts,

A slight turn in the breeze that creeps across the castle grounds tells me that, once again, summer is nearly past. Sure enough, as I look from the window of my tower across the Black Lake, I think that in a few short days an entirely new class of eleven-year-old witches and wizards will soon be crossing it in the very same boats that so many of you once did, ready to start a new chapter of their lives.

You are doubtless already aware of the opinion piece entitled _The Boy Who Lived Will Come to Hogwarts: But What Will He Find There?_ in yesterday’s edition of _The Daily Prophet_, where Rita Skeeter, class of ’69, wrote that Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, will be one of the students beginning a new life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on September first. She used this opportunity to write yet another impassioned critique of the school and its leadership, saying that any new pupil would arrive at ‘a creaking, overfunded institution grown bloated on an endless stream of galleons’, led by a ‘senile and insufferable dullard, blinded by his own ideologies’. Firstly, we are glad that our alumni have such a strong connection to their alma mater, and that years after they have graduated, Hogwarts continues to be an important part of their lives and at the forefront of their thoughts. I must also add that while Hogwarts will keep its policy on not publicly commenting on any individual student’s academic performance, we can confirm that Mr. Potter will be a part of the class of ’97 after a childhood spent at a distance from the wizarding world.

But I would like to invite you, dear reader, to answer Ms. Skeeter’s question. What sort of school is it that Mr. Potter is returning to? What has changed in the last decade since he exited the wizarding world? When Harry Potter enters Hogwarts in a few days’ time, he will find a thriving and diverse academic community of equals. Gone is the fear, turmoil and violence of the reign of He Who Must Not Be Named. A muggleborn from Glastonbury may well find themselves sharing a dormitory with a pureblood born and raised in Hogsmeade: a member of the sacred twenty-eight may well have their wand-work corrected by someone who, a few short months ago, was entirely unaware of the magical world. Whatever house Mr. Potter is sorted into, he will find himself belonging to an interconnected community of witches and wizards from across Britain and Ireland. Students bring so many diverse backgrounds to Hogwarts, and yet regardless of blood status, race, location, or house, we all find ourselves united in courage, intellectual rigour, loyalty, and ambition. If I as headmaster have one guiding ideology, it is that: for Hogwarts to be a place of tolerance, diversity, and acceptance. Today’s pupils will be tomorrow’s leaders: as we equip the witches and wizards of tomorrow for their place in the world, these are the values we must install.

As for Ms. Skeeter’s comments on Hogwarts ‘endless stream of galleons’, alas, would that it were so! I know that not a year goes by that the press does not comment on the size of the Hogwarts endowment, but we are committed to providing a free education for all regardless of financial means. Yet there is an endless stream of expenses involved in day to day Hogwarts operations: supplies for students, the hardship fund for those of limited resources, castle repair and maintenance, and, of course, the staffing costs associated with bringing magical Britain’s best and brightest to help shape the next generation of minds. It is thanks to the donations of loyal parents, alumni, and associates such as yourselves that we are able to keep Hogwarts operating.

Hogwarts and its mission are essential in the new world of peace we have been forging for the last decade, and your support is needed now more than ever. If you feel moved to provide for Hogwarts as Hogwarts has provided for you or those you love, you would have the sincerest thanks of both the staff and I if you returned a Gringotts-Cashable cheque by owl post to:

The Office of Fundraising and Development  
Sixth Floor, The Eastern Tower  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Scotland

Please note that we cannot accept donations in coins at this time, and if you wish to donate artwork or powerful magical artefacts, we would invite you to get in touch with us to arrange an assessment of the item’s value.

I look forward to the flurry of owls that Ms. Skeeter’s articles on my leadership always send my way, and to welcoming many of your children to Hogwarts as the new academic year begins.

Yours warmly,

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore  
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Grand Sorcerer  
Supreme Mugwump  
Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot  
Order of Merlin, First Class, 1946


	2. 1992

15/12/1992

Dear parents, alumni and friends of Hogwarts,

I must confess that it is with a heavy heart and without an abundance of Christmas spirit that I write to you tonight.

You are likely already aware of some of the rumours about attacks at the school recently, and in my capacity as Hogwarts headmaster, I am in the unhappy position of having to address them. I will confess that I write now because I wish to be able to inform you of these incidents before the end of the winter term, as during the Christmas holidays I fear that some students may portray a somewhat sensationalised version of events. To be young, after all, is to see a simpler, clearer, and not always entirely accurate world. Since I wish to avoid the letters column of _The Daily Prophet_ being filled with panicked descriptions of ancient prophecies being fulfilled and armies of dark wizards rampaging through the castle, the unfortunate task of writing to you falls upon me.

Firstly, it is true that in the past months, there have been a number of attacks within the school grounds, and that these attacks appear to be motivated by blood status extremism. Two students have been attacked by a serious curse, along with a faculty member’s beloved pet and a cherished member of our post-mortal community. Out of respect for them and their families I will not be revealing their names, but they are all currently petrified. In time and with the diligent care of Hogwarts staff, all involved are expected to make a full recovery. However, I must inform you that the perpetrator of these attacks is still at large, despite the best efforts of myself and my staff.

Let me be perfectly clear: this series of incidents is entirely antithetical to Hogwarts’ values. Together, the school and its populace roundly reject the bigotry and hatred behind these attacks. Hogwarts is a place of communal learning and experiencing the joy of magic together, regardless of whether one can trace one’s magical lineage back a hundred generations or a few short years. This attack on students and the castle’s other residents is abhorrent, and we must come together as a community to condemn it in the strongest terms.

The victims of these terrible attacks are currently being treated in the Hospital Wing. By far the best remedy for their petrified condition is the administration of a potion made from mandrakes. Due to the extreme cost and difficulty of transporting adult mandrakes, we are currently growing our own crop, and will be brewing the potion in house. Our community is coming together: our students, under the supervision of our fantastic Herbology professor, are growing the mandrakes that will revive their peers. A world class potioneer on staff will be brewing the remedy, and it will be administered by our highly esteemed hospital wing staff. In short, the Hogwarts community is coming together in a spirit of unity, collaboration, and healing. In the long term, I can think of no better means by which to address the culture of fear, ignorance and prejudice that has led to these attacks.

However, just as it will take time for the victims of these senseless and cowardly incidents to recover, it will take Hogwarts time as a community to heal. During the difficult times ahead, and as we struggle to understand the violence that has affected our community, I as headmaster am committed to listening to all voices to better understand how this has happened and what our next steps should be. I am forming a listening committee to ensure that the concerns of all parents, students, and other parties are addressed as promptly as possible; if you would like to add your voice, please address your owl to:

Albus Dumbledore  
Headmaster’s Office  
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Scotland

I would like to remind you that in light of these incidents, we are taking student safety extremely seriously. Hogwarts has been extraordinarily lucky to have many accomplished and extraordinary witches and wizards on staff. There are some whose expertise in defeating dark magic you may well have read about, but there are many accomplished and heroic members of our staff you may be less aware of. Please be assured that they are doing everything they can to prevent further attacks and apprehend the perpetrator, and I will write as soon as there is any further news.

In the meantime, I wish you and your families a merry Christmas, and a happy new year. I hope to be able to write to you all soon with happier news.

Sincerely,

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore  
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Grand Sorcerer  
Supreme Mugwump  
Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot  
Order of Merlin, First Class, 1946


	3. 1993

27/8/1993

Valued Hogwarts Parent,

Nothing is more important to us at the Ministry than ensuring the safety of our children and ensuring they are able to grow into the valued witches and wizards of our future. This is why I am writing to you in my official capacity as Minister for Magic; you have a child attending Hogwarts this coming year.

Regardless of whether you come from our magical world or are experiencing it for the first time through your children, it surely cannot have escaped you that we are living in strange and dangerous times. Last year’s series of attacks at Hogwarts shocked us all, and while the entire matter has been cleared up to our satisfaction, we know that as parents you will naturally be anxious about the safety of your children. There is also the matter of Sirius Black to consider. You must all now be aware, wizard or muggle, that Sirius Black is a dangerous criminal, escaped from Azkaban – he has known ties to He Who Must Not Be Named and is responsible for the deaths of fourteen Muggles in a single attack. While we have no intelligence to suggest any likelihood of him attacking Hogwarts, we are ever-vigilant about the safety of your children. As a result, we have taken the unprecedented step of providing a guard of Azkaban’s finest Dementors to the Hogwarts grounds.

Doubtless there will be concern over such drastic steps, so I am determined to reach out to you in advance to allay any potential fears. The Dementors, despite their menacing appearance, have been strong Ministry allies for many years, and we cannot foresee anything jeopardising that partnership in the time ahead. They will be operating under strict instructions: they will under no circumstances interact with the students, will not enter the castle, and are there solely for the purpose of protecting our magical children from Sirius Black. Once he is apprehended, either by the Dementors at Hogwarts or the crack teams of Aurors we have working tirelessly on this case around the country.

I hope that this will clarify why Hogwarts will be somewhat different this year. The thought of Dementors at Hogwarts may be difficult to reckon with, but as Minister it is my duty to make difficult decisions – all I can do is reassure you that they have been made with your child’s safety at front of mind.

Best wishes,

Cornelius Fudge  
Minister for Magic  
Order of Merlin, First Class, 1991


	4. 1994

5/9/1994

Dear Parents, Alumni, and Friends of Hogwarts,

As a new year has begun on campus, I look out of the window of my office to a throng of students below, engaged in some of the hustle and bustle that helps make Hogwarts into the institution we all know and love. However – and I do hope that this is not merely my imagination running away with me – it seems to me that, this year, some of the activity in our beloved school has taken an even richer and more meaningful note.

For those of you with a child or a friend at Hogwarts, or a keen eye on the pages of the Daily Prophet, you will surely know what I am talking of: The Triwizard Tournament is, at last, returning to Hogwarts. After several years of lengthy discussions with both the Ministry of Magic and my esteemed counterparts at Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, we have been able to resurrect the tournament in a form which will be safe for today’s students while still retaining the unique Triwizard spirit of centuries past.

At the moment, I suspect that the students’ main interest is in which among them will be able to compete and, with any luck, bring riches to themselves and glory onto Hogwarts. Alas, it has been my unhappy task to inform them that this opportunity will only be available to those witches and wizards who have already come of age. If, over the course of this term, you receive a letter from Madam Pomfrey informing you that your child has fallen foul of the various measures I will be putting in place to ensure that younger students do not apply to be a part of the tournament, I implore you to understand such events in the spirit of youthful hijinks they were committed in.

But however exciting the spectacle of our school champion, and those of our sister schools, competing will be, I suspect that the real value of this year will be far greater than mere spectacle. This year is a real chance for our students to create lasting bonds with their peers from across Europe. If you will indulge me with a brief personal note, I must confess that my life has been shaped by the opportunities I had to form fast friendships with others from across Europe at a young age. Looking back from what I can charitably describe as a time well past my younger years, I can see how such an experience enriched me and the doors it opened long after the fact. To be able to form these friendships across culture, across nationality, across blood status at a young age is a fantastic opportunity for all of our students, and if you are a parent, I implore you to write to your children and advise them to take full advantage of this opportunity.

The last few years at Hogwarts have been unusual – they have had their share of surprises and some surprisingly difficult moments. If this turbulence and uncertainty is any sign of the world awaiting our students as they graduate and fully enter the wizarding world in the next few years, how better to equip them to face it than with international solidarity, understanding, and support?

I am hoping you will forgive these ramblings of an old man. All that remains for me to say is, of course, that I am looking forward to the arrival of the delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Let us hope that we can show them the true skill and intelligence of our students, and show them that they should truly never tickle a sleeping dragon. However, as well as encountering stiff competition from our brightest and best, I hope that they will also encounter an outstretched hand of friendship.

Yours warmly,

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore  
Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Grand Sorcerer  
Supreme Mugwump  
Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot  
Order of Merlin, First Class, 1946


End file.
